The "Girl Next Door" is Cliche for a Reason

Chapter 2: A Work in Progress

Nate woke up early to mow the lawn since his dad had been asking him for a few days. It was seven in the morning, too early for his last week off before football conditioning started. As he mowed the lawn, he decided he would have to start lengthening his runs to make sure he was in decent shape for conditioning. When he turned the mower back toward the street, he saw Lexi across the way, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath from her run. Max was on his side on the grass, tongue out looking just as tired as his owner. Nate tried to look back at his yard work so that it didn't look like he was staring, but Lexi caught his eye just as he was looking away and waved. Nate felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he waved back. When she didn't make a move to cross the street, he continued to mow the lawn, keeping his eyes on his work.

When he finally finished his work, Lexi was long gone with Max and he was starving. His dad had made breakfast before leaving on his morning jog with Betty. He always claimed how he had to go for runs or else his job would make him obese since it was part of the description to taste the food. Ellie came into the kitchen, rubbing at her eyes and Nate knew she had just woken up.

"Go to the dining room and I will make you a plate," Nate told his sister. She slowly nodded and made her way out of the room. Nate filled the plate with her favorites and grabbed all of his favorites for his own plate before heading to the dining room. He then went back to the kitchen and poured his sister some milk while grabbing himself the freshly squeezed juice that had a combination of fruits and vegetables. Neither sibling said anything while they ate.

Lexi was happy that the move in process was finally over. Her and her dad barely had anything to really move and little furniture, but it was enough for the two of them. Since they had a few extra rooms, he had decided to let her turn the downstairs bedroom into a small library for all of her books.

After she got back from her run, she had started the coffee machine for her dad and made them both breakfast. Her dad came down just as she turned off the stove.

"How did I get so lucky with you?" He asked, kissing the top of her head. He was in his favorite jeans that had yet to rip and a blue shirt, work boots in hand.

"Well we all need good somewhere in our lives," she stated, taking a seat on the counter while her dad took the one stool they had at the island.

"I pulled out some cash yesterday," her dad started, pulling out his wallet while chewing on his food. He put down a couple of twenties onto the table, "so please go buy some things to spice up this house. It's looking a little sad. I have to wait for the first of next month to be sure, but since it's only the two of us we may have a little extra money that we didn't always have."

"I will buy the essentials, like another stool and maybe a bookshelf, but maybe we should put most of it into savings," Lexi said, biting her lip nervously.

"Wow you really don't trust your old pops," he said laughing, "you worry too much, kid. The extra money does not include the twenty percent of my paycheck that goes straight into savings. How do you think I was able to afford a house this nice without some money in the bank?"

"I just want to make sure we don't get carried away with the extra spending money," she stated, finishing the last of her food in peace. She grabbed her dad's plate when he finished and washed the two of them.

"Please go buy yourself something nice," her dad said, hugging his daughter after putting on his work boots, ready to go out onto the construction site. He handed over the cash and she realized it was more than she had been counting in her head. "You really do deserve it. If there's any other spare money, maybe fill up the fridge a little. I love you, kiddo."